Camera - April 14, 1923 to February 16, 1924 (April 1923-February 1924)

Page 2 January 19th, 19;/ Mary Pickford has finished "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall" and is now aiding in the editing. The premiere of this film will take place in Ne<w York about March 1st and. of course, she will he there with Doug, following which they will leave on an extended tour of Europe, including in their itinerary those points of interest in England, France, Belgium, Denmark. Sweden, Norway and other countries that they were, forced to pass up during their last trip owing to scarcity of time. DIRECTOR SAYS TALKING FILMS WILL REFINE SCRIPTS; NEW SCHOOL OF WRITERS Talking motion pictures can not be practical until the art of scenario writing is reduced to a science even more exact than the technic of legitimate stageplay writing, is the opinion of George Melford. Scenarios, as they are now written, are rudely constructed affairs, declares Melford. Seldom, if ever, is a completed picture similar to the original working script. Writers, technical supervisors, directors, cutters, titlers and editors habitually make changes while the photoplays are in course of production. In addition, individual changes are quite often made by theater managers or censors in various locales. "Talking motion pictures must be continuous in action to be successful, just as the stage play is. The scenario must be letter-perfect, for there can be no changes after action and conversation have been recorded together. The present inferiority of photoplay continuities must undergo a tremend ous change before the talking movies can be practical." Melford asserts his belief that the coming of the "conversational movies" will result in an entirely new and far more efficient school of scenario writers within the film industry. These new writers, he thinks, will be the students with years of training in both the technique of the stage and of the screen. Theodore <von Eltz has entered 1924 with a bang, for this capable actor is now negotiating a role in Cecil* De Mille's "Triumph" and is also signed for Herbert Brenon's production "The Breaking Point," both for Paramount. He will commence the second picture at the end of the week and will of necessity be doubling up in the two productions. Mr. <von Eltz has been in the film colony three years and has done consistently fine work. Statesmen Witness Griffith Filming Two former ambassadors and a former secretary of the treasury were among a party of distinguished guests who recently watched the filming of several scenes for "America," the screen epic of the Revolution which D. W. Griffith is making for the D. A. R. at his Mamaroneck studios. Dr. Charles R. Crane, former minister to China, Richard Crane, former minister to Jugo-Slavia, Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Houston, the former one-time secretary of the treasury, Sir Percy Sykes of London, Eng., Mrs. Leatherbee of Westover, Va., and D. M. Brodie were among a notable group which watched Lionel Barrymore and Carol Dempster, Griffiths leading woman, enact some of the more stirring scenes for the new film. The Crane family owns the famous Westover estate on the James River, in Virginia, where Griffitn "shot" a number of Revolutionary scenes for "America," using prominent Southern society women and Revolutionary descendants as extra people. Matiesen Wears Togs of Thu\ A thief's costume worn by 01 J| Matiesen, now playing an impo m ant role in "The Glorious Tom(| I row" at the I.asky studio, was orl I worn by Frederick "Crafty" V«| I siston, celebrated German cro< f Vensiston, single-handed, pull) I several famous robberies in El I rope and was finally executed il I his misdeeds. At the time of the executiil Matiesen \\ a preparing a wai , robe for a crook role in which I I was cast on a European sta I i Perceiving the advantage of i| I real thief's costume for his pal I he persuaded the authorities I' give him Vensiston's clothes, made his first distinct stage hit the part and kept the costume I ■ a memoir. When George Melford, prod ing "The Glorious Tomorro\ was told about the garments, requested that Matiesen wi them in this picture. King Baggot has no thront, • this week he has a castle. Baggot, not named King beca of any aspirations to royalty, after his mother's maiden nai has been reigning over the lo subjects in his company in mammoth castle sets built on i of the stages at the "Big U" f duction plant. "Finished" Actor Achieves Go There came to the director of those inspirations which cc only to directors, — an inspiraf he eagerly clutched to his bos because it called for a bit of bi ness not in the script. To fu the inspiration a young actor needed. There were 33 alle such on the set, and to avoid hi ing up the company while an ai of recognized ability could called, the big-hearted dire chose from among those preset young man whose ambitions t ered high above his ability, bit of business which the dire visioned called for the very de erate vamping of the less del specie by a very beautiful bloi I .1 — none other than our statue Gertrude Astor. To her chal the young man was to respt nobly, if not violently. A dc times he tried — (it was his "g moment" and he realized it)the cameraman carelessly gro out several magazines of i Realizing the hopelessness of ther effort, the b. h. d. finally K.'d the scene. Utterly oblivious of the btl eye cast upon him by the direilfl a few moments later the aspipand perspiring youth spoke to M» Astor. "Your work was marvelou«,'Mjl said. "Do you think, Miss AMI that I may hope to become a y ished artist?" There was nothing vampishn the look that Miss Astor bestoW upon him as she replied: "jp If I correctly understood whatf* director just told his assinK your hope is realized."